Santa Monica : Parking, Traffic Study OKd

The City Council last week approved spending a maximum of $65,000 to study recommendations on how to deal with parking and traffic problems in the Main Street shopping district.

The study, which is expected to be completed in three to six months at a cost of $25,000, will assess the feasibility of converting two metered lots behind Main Street to validated parking.

Validated parking atLot 9 between Kinney and Hill streets and Lot 11 between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard would discourage beach patrons from using the lots, which serve the business district, a staff report said.

The remainder of the money will be spent on a traffic light near the Edgemar Project on Main Street between Ocean Park and Hollister. Ron Fuchiwaki, city parking and traffic engineer, said the light will be installed in six months to a year at a cost of $40,000.